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LEO VARADKAR’S INSISTING he’d like to stay where he is in the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle.
The Transport & Tourism minister has long been linked with a move to the Department of Health — with speculation intensifying once again in recent weeks, following the local and European elections.
Varadkar gave a strong defence of current Health Minister James Reilly at the weekend, telling the Sunday Independent his Cabinet colleague had been “asked to do the impossible” in attempting to reform and expand health services “while taking billions out of the system”.
And while Reilly’s widely expected to be moved on from the health portfolio in the coming weeks, his Fine Gael colleague told reporters he had no great desire to replace him.
“I’m very happy to stay where I am, and I’d like to stay where I am,” he told reporters today.
Of course, Varadkar also added the obligitory:
Obviously I serve at the discretion of the Taoiseach.
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Is he not minister for everything. He seems to comment on it regularly anyhow!
Poor Leo, few things are more likely to consign you to the political scrap heap than the health portfolio, one never wins in “Angola”, as Brian Cowen said, “Once you’ve cleared one landmine another goes off.”.
Becoming Minister for Health would allow Leo more scope time to address matters in the Department Of Transport, Finance and Agriculture.
Leo is a know it all.. Constantly talking about things that have actually nothing to do with him.
Hes a doctor and his sister is a haemovigilance officer so this wouldn’t surprise me.
Tommy
Can you tell us what the occupation of the Minister’s sister has to do with the possibility of him being appointed Minister for Health?
He is a doctor alright – so he knows to stay the hell away from Health.
He wants to be Taoiseach
Leo — could you fix the system whereby our stations are so filthy and the workmanship is so poor. Dunlaghoire is a prime example, we inherited a beautiful station from the British and look at it now. The Glass and Canopy are filthy. The last job on the tiles is simply disgusting, whoever did this is not a tradesman. I bet they got paid a fortune. Mind you our tradesmen were allowed to do an apprenticeship and not do their exams. FAS and Anco before them were responsible for poor workmanship. The 70′s and 80′s tradesmen did not need to attend college to get qualified. Most plumbers, Gas fitters, electricians never went to tech. Statistics show over 50% never qualified. Pretty dangerous practice yet the CEO of FAS never cared to amend it and our unions just took their money and gave them a union card.
If the HSE top bosses in each hospital do the job they are highly paid to do, James Reilly would achieve his goals.
Agreed. HIQUA report said there was only one toilet in the A&E, Limerick yet thousands were spent last year changing the name to University Hospital. Jut one example of mismanagement.
Its a very verrrry long list of mismanagement Michael
Leo V should hopefully soon be in line for the position of Taoiseach.
Intelligent and sensible politician. I would be happy to see him represent Ireland on the international stage.
I wouldn’t – that would suggest a 2nd term for FG
Fine Gael’s most useless politician.
Your ind should be the subject of a sworn inquiry!
An impossible task even for one so bright as Leo.
Of course he does
If he could not tackle the staff duplication, waste and inefficiency at CIE because he was so terrified or PS unions, or Kenny was, then how can he tackle the HSE which has the EXACT same problems?
Esp when govt policy is to add yet another layer of red tape to the system in the form of universal insurance instead of the better models like NHS and Canada Medicare out there?
Leo’s not bright
Ahhhh wouldnt say that thierry,
Evil Bustard, yes…..
Leo increased the cost of NCT testing.
Well done Leo. Lining the pockets of non Irish companies.
Leo wants to sit of the throne. He’d say mass to a priest to get it…..
Minister for everything seems he’s a spokesman for the Kenny clowns . He’s no better than rest, classic example was today that he failed to cap the chargers on clampers fees in private sector . He’s no stronger than rest , he’s failed in his role as transport minister strikes looming in cie yet again , more or less blackmailed Dublin bus drivers , failed to sort taxi liciences out . It’s just 1 big F for finegael & coalition. So what makes us think hel sort out hse ? Don’t think he will nor do I think coalition will see it’s term.
Keith, he pretends like he’s a spokesman for Kenny but its clear he has his own agenda. Leo Vanker is a different sort of animal altogether than Kenny and his merry bunch of numpties. He’s up to no good, and will stab Kenny firmly between the shoulder blades at first opportunity.
I’d say he wont want to touch Health with a bargepole – but Kenny might push him into to it to try and deal with him before he starts pulling the dagger out…
have your say